This invention relates in general to a spray cleaning apparatus and, in particular, to a hydrocannon system for removing deposits from surfaces.
More specifically, but without restriction to the particular use which is shown and described, this invention relates to a hydrocannon cleaning system for removing deposits from the surfaces of installations, such as in a coal burning electrical power plant. The system of the invention anchors an ultra-high pressure water cleaning device for movable positioning adjacent the surface to be cleaned for increased efficiency of operation. The gun and nozzle of the invention may be vertically adjusted, swung in an arc of 360.degree. and tilted either downward or upward during a cleaning operation. The gun and nozzle mount herein disclosed is supported for movement adjacent the surface as required during a cleaning operation.
As is well known, many electrical generating stations use fossil fuel as the energy source for producing electricity. As a result of the operation of a fossil fuel plant, a buildup of foreign material occurs on the walls of the power plant, such as in the cyclone burner. This accumulation of material on the walls of the equipment may adversely affect the efficiency of electrical generation and cause damage to the installation. It is common practice therefore to shut down operation of the station on a periodic basis and clean the various internal parts as needed.
The internal buildup of material may include deposits, such as fly ash, slag, refractories, and the like. In the past, one common technique for removing material from the walls of structure in an electrical generating station has been by applying water at ultrahigh pressures to dislodge the deposits from the surface. One well-known water cleaning system of the high pressure type propels a water stream through a nozzle at pressures of 10,000 psi or greater. The use of pressurized water is a particularly good technique of removing deposits, since chemicals, fumes, hand tools, and other disadvantageous problems are eliminated.
In the past, the high pressure water is delivered to a nozzle of a gun that is manually held by an operator during the cleaning process. The gun of such systems is generally propped against the shoulder, to counteract the reaction forces of the high pressure jet of water. This subjects the user to a considerable force while aiming the nozzle propelling water at pressures of 10,000 and more psi for a day long shift. The fatigue factor for such jobs using prior equipment increases the number of man-hours required for any given cleaning task at an electrical power plant. Accordingly, hand-held water blasting, as is the common technique in the industry, is physically straining and relatively inefficient.